Australian cattle dogs?

Question

wanted to chat about these great dogs I got my fist one this past Feb. and I have fallen in love with the breed he is great. If you have or had one can you tell me wht you think of them. I like the dingo looking kind.

Answer 1

My family had them for years....finally had to go to something else when the subdivisions moved in on us....they are very Territorial and will protect what they consider theirs to the death..   they a loyal, smart and really don't have a bad trait except they can be very aggressive to everyone except their family

Answer 2

I have two ACD's that herd our horses. We love them dearly. They are truly a great breed of dog.

Answer 3

Hi Amy-They are great dogs-I have 4 of them-2 of them being pups-Thats a handful I can tell you-They(the breed) have a lot of energy-give your dog plenty of toys & plenty of good hard work outs. I'm thinking of getting the puppies into the agility work.There's many agility clubs in all the states.Enjoy your dog Amy.

Answer 4

My husband had wanted a Blue Heeler for a long time and I finally found one last Memorial Day.  Her name is Shiloh and she is beautiful and SMART!  She is very loyal and stay close by when we are out and about.  She even goes with us when we go trail riding and never gets more than 25 feet away as we ride.

She will fetch and chase down/catch a frisbee.  I am thinking about starting her with agility training as she learns very quickly and loves to work!

We have 3 other dogs and she gets along with them just great!

Answer 5

This should be in the dog section.

Answer 6

Yes, I have one now. They are great dogs, but the only thing I see as a draw back, they are nippy at my horses. So they get corrected quickly with that. & I also have Australian Shepherds, they are awsome, too!!!! With no nippyness to them. I don't have to teach them not to nip at my horses. Which to me is better.

Answer 7

I've never had one myself but my best friend has had several in the 16 years I've know her.  Each and every one of them had very different personalites but they were all great dogs.  They are energetic and intelligent.  I like their easy care coat and their beautiful coloring.  I've only ever seen one that was aggressive and I think he just had a s***w loose.  He was eventually euthanized after he bit a child.

Answer 8

australian cattle dogs are great dogs. I use to have one and since he has passed on. I loved him a lot.  I now have a Corgi. They are great to.

Answer 9

Mine died in 2002.  She was a mix of poodle, sheltie, and australian cattle dog.  Her eyes and expression were aussie...whe was a smart, wonderful dog and I miss her every day.  Her name was Lucy.  She was the most beautiful dog I have ever seen, with the best of all her breed characteristics all wrapped up in one package. I have to stop.

Answer 10

I know a few of these dogs.  They're great.  They're one of the more intelligent breeds, and, if going to a groomer regularly, are absolutely gorgeous.

A friend of mine is a Canine MP for the Army, owns a dog training school, trains German Sheppards for the Army, and she also owns a doggie day care facility.  Other than her work dog, she owns all Aussies.

And, boy, are they smart and strong.

Answer 11

Yes. Great dogs. There was one at my old barn, and he barks, and is crazy, they need a lot of attention, and they live on farms a lot.

Answer 12

I love them too, i don't have 1 but I want 1. I LOVE DOGS! here's some info on them. I found it on Dogbreedinfo.com they are great!

Pronunciation

Australian Cattle Dog

Description

The Australian Cattle Dog, also known as the Australian Heeler, Hall's Heeler, Queensland Heeler and the Blue Heeler, is a sturdy, compact working dog, well-muscled, powerful, yet very agile. The body is a bit longer than high with a slightly curved tail reaching approximately to the hock. The front legs should be perfectly straight when viewed from the front. The head is broad and slightly rounded between the widely set, moderately pointed pricked ears. The oval eyes are dark brown. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite. The weather-resistant double coat consists of a short dense undercoat and a short straight outer coat. It comes in blue or red speckled. The blue speckled is with or without black, blue or tan markings on the head with tan points. Black markings on the body are not desirable. The red speckle variety should be evenly speckled all over, but may have darker markings on the head.

Temperament

A working, herding breed, the Australian Cattle Dog is not suited to life alone in the backyard. One of the most intelligent breeds, it can become easily bored, leading to serious behavior problems. These dogs need to be part of the action! They are loyal, protective and alert. An excellent guard dog. Brave and trustworthy. Very good in the obedience ring and in herding and agility. Firm training from the start and lot of daily attention will produce a fine and happy pet. It is absolutely loyal and obedient to its master, but it is something of a one-person dog. They are sometimes suspicious of people and dogs they don't know. It can be very dog aggressive, for its dominance level is high. Not good with children except for family members it has known since puppyhood. Some tend to nip at people's heels in an attempt to herd them. If you are buying a pet, avoid strictly working lines, as these dogs may be too active and intense for home life. Australian Cattle Dogs are very easy to train. Puppies are born white (inherited from the early Dalmatian crosses), but the adult color can be seen in the paw pads.

Height, Weight

Height: Dogs 17-20 inches (43-51cm) b*****s 17-19 inches (43-48cm)

Weight: Dogs 32-35 pounds (15-16kg) b*****s 30-35 pounds (14-16kg)

Health Problems

Prone to hip dysplasia, PRA, and deafness.

Living Conditions

Not recommended for apartment life and does best with at least a large yard. Does best with a job to do.

Exercise

These animals have incredible stamina and will enjoy all the activity you can give them. Exercise is of paramount importance - without enough they can become bored and destructive. They need to be taken on long daily walks.

Life Expectancy

About 12-15 years.

Litter Size

1 - 7 - Average of 5 puppies

Grooming

The short-haired, weather-resistant coat needs little care and is very easy to groom. Just comb and brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary. This breed tends to shed their coats once or twice per year (depending on s*x status and region).

Origin

The Australian Cattle Dog was developed by pioneer settlers in the 19th century to herd cattle on large ranches. Dogs the settlers brought with them from Europe, called Smithfield and the Old Smooth Collie (not the smooth collie known today), were not able to handle the long distances and inhospitable climate of the new continent. So ranchers began experimenting with new crosses. The Australian Cattle Dog primarily derived from a mix of smooth, blue speckled Collie imports from Scotland and wild Australian Dingoes. Australian Kelpie, Dalmatian, and Bull Terrier were also added. The result was an excellent herding dog, with few equals, who worked the stock quietly yet forcefully, willing and able to drive cattle across vast distances under harsh, hot dusty conditions. With superior stamina, it was well suited to Queensland. Both its guarding and herding instincts are very strong and may extend to people and other animals. Robert Kaleski drew up a standard for the breed in 1893, which was finally approved in Australia in 1903. The Australian Cattle Dog was fully recognized by the AKC in 1980. The Australian Cattle Dog has also been known as the Australian Heeler, Hall's Heeler, Queensland Heeler or Blue Heeler. "Heeler" refers to its herding skill of snapping and biting cattle's heels. Its talents are retrieving, herding, guarding, agility, competitive obedience, and performing tricks.

Group

Herding, AKC Herding

Recognition

FCI, AKC, UKC,  KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, CKC, APRI, ACR